Heathens, Pagans and Witches discussion

Our group fiction read for the next two months.

Oh, is it? I read this once and liked it very much indeed. I've forgotten it since...

Have just read the (few) reviews here, am intrigued again. I've often thought I'd like to revisit this. I only remember I was fascinated.

It does look wonderfully mysterious and mystical Bryn.

Hopefully others will join you if you do decide to revisit :)

I took it off the shelf, loved the first couple of pages again, and shall re-read over Dec/Jan. Great choice Nell.

Hurray! Perhaps I'll be able to tear myself away from non-fiction and read it too...:)

I do hope so. It's worth it at times...!

The library has a copy. I've been ultra busy lately, and I'm reading about ten books at the same time, but I'll make time for this one when it comes in. :)

I've ordered it from Amazon s/h - it was only 1p. I'd have bought a Kindle though if there was one. I'm hoping not to put anyone off this time :)

I've started. It's gorgeously written, to my eyes. Skord is going about with a couple of beggar children, in the first part. Skord is a forest creature, not how I'd ever thought of trolls. It was a scrawny little troll, unknowing and guileless, and not much given to thinking at all. There was little more than fluttering, like the wings of jays, going on under that tussock of hair. It's learning to think, though, as it watches and interacts with humans.

Thoughtful book.

Will be looking for this book.
On the subject of trolls...anyone seen this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740707/?...

Old-Barbarossa wrote: "Will be looking for this book.
On the subject of trolls...anyone seen this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740707/?..."

Looks great. Haven't had the chance to see it yet unfortunately...

Old-Barbarossa wrote: "On the subject of trolls...anyone seen this:

This troll doesn't look like that.

Bryn wrote: "This troll doesn't look like that."

Ah, but the book has fictitious trolls, this is a documentary...live action footage of trolls in the wild.

;)

I can tell that at a glance, Old Barb. No fakes there.

Bryn wrote: "I've started. It's gorgeously written, to my eyes. Skord is going about with a couple of beggar children, in the first part. Skord is a forest creature, not how I'd ever thought of trolls. It was a..."

It sounds really promising - can't wait for mine to arrive.

My copy has arrived in at the local library too. Be joining you all soon. :)

Perhaps an anti-human book I think. I loved part one.

I call this drop-dead gorgeous English. It's hard to believe it's a translation.

Up to p.100, end of part two. On the grim and dark side I guess, or sad at least. The forest is a presence. Like the sea in Moby Dick. I don't know my geography, but we were in the wild north forest of Skule. I just googled and found out the Swedish title of this book comes to 'The Robbers in Skule Forest'. Huge sense of place, though getting metaphysical about it too.

Just ordered it online...with 2 other books.
Damn you amazon and your easy shopping!
Saw one for sale at nearly £80...I'd want Helen Mirren to come round and read it to me for that price.

Old-Barbarossa wrote: "Damn you amazon and your easy shopping!" I just ordered the second hand ones that only cost a cent, thinking I was very clever, but the shipping works out to sixteen dollars, and who knows what shape they'll be in when the get here.

Aaron wrote: "Old-Barbarossa wrote: "Damn you amazon and your easy shopping!" I just ordered the second hand ones that only cost a cent, thinking I was very clever, but the shipping works out to sixteen dollars,..."

Aye, went for a cheap as chips one myself...only about 5euro for the shipping...but then I am a wee bitteen closer to the seller sir. Hope your copy gets there in a readable state.

Me too, thank you.

Mine arrived yesterday and I began reading today. I'm up to page 24 and already wondering how the author will pull it off - 500 years of human life studied by a (loveable) little troll is an incredibly ambitious concept :)

The English is indeed beautiful, Bryn.

What think you all of the new brown 'Moderator' tags after our names? I prefer the foregoing discretion...

Nell wrote: "What think you all of the new brown 'Moderator' tags after our names? I prefer the foregoing discretion..."

They can be turned off in a group if you prefer.

Nell wrote: "What think you all of the new brown 'Moderator' tags after our names? I prefer the foregoing discretion..."

I think they should be red, and flashing. ;)

And in runes!

Nell wrote: "Mine arrived yesterday and I began reading today. I'm up to page 24 and already wondering how the author will pull it off - 500 years of human life studied by a (loveable) little troll is an incred..."

The moderator tags are too much for me this early in the morning. :0 Adding my vote for the red flashing runes, far more suitable.

Will get to the book as soon as I can pry it from my husband's hands...

Red and flashing? - Too dangerous :D

Runes would be nicely mysterious though :)

I didn't know they could be turned off, but I take it you'd prefer them to stay, Aaron :)
I wonder what Gina thinks of them.

Up to the second chapter (The Moon of Illyria) but I've had an exhausting day and need to sleep now so will continue tomorrow.

Love the beautiful evocation of place in this book - surprising details (both lovely and grim with not a cliche in sight) that place the reader in the forest, and the forest in the reader.

Nell wrote: "Red and flashing? - Too dangerous :D

Runes would be nicely mysterious though :)

I didn't know they could be turned off, but I take it you'd prefer them to stay, Aaron :)
I wonder what Gina think..."

I find them too much actually. Not necessary to shout it out imo. :)

Shall we lose them then? Will Aaron mind?:)

No I was only kidding. The grey italics are quite sufficient.

I think "Moderator" is too dull...elaborate Golden Dawn stylee titles should be used.
May I suggest Logothete Of The Cenobitic Order Of Arcane Bibliophiles?

As I mentioned Trollhunter earlier I thought I'd point this wee gem out...suitable festive stuff?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401143/?...

I did realize you were probably kidding Aaron, but thought I'd better make sure. Anyway, the brown tags have been banished to Room 101 :)

Weirdly, Gina's first post re. the tags wasn't there (or maybe I just didn't see it?) when I wondered what she'd think of them.

As for LOTCOOAB or any other titles our hearts or wits desire, they could be added to user names, although labels are not my thing, (even clever ones :D)

Watched the trailer, OB... Now I need something to make me forget it :( Nepenthe, anyone?

Read some more of the Forest this afternoon. It's a most unusual book, very dark in places, but I like the way there's no sense that the author is playing on or manipulating one's emotions - no Disney she - and the narrative moves onwards without any idea of her judgement or opinions. She's beautifully invisible.

"Logothete Of The Cenobitic Order Of Arcane Bibliophiles" has a certain ring to it...

Seconding Nell on that trailer. :0 So is it Santa killing the little kiddies who disappear or what. Too early in the morning for me. More coffee needed!

My husband's close to finishing The Forest of Hours, so looks like I'll get a chance to read it soon. :)

Old-Barbarossa wrote: "As I mentioned Trollhunter earlier I thought I'd point this wee gem out...suitable festive stuff?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401143/?..."

Rather disappointing to be honest. Ham acting, so much so I thought it was a comedy, but was never quite sure as it missed the mark too often. Only watched the once, despite the fabulous scenery.

Fine observations in this thread! I'm more and more impressed with the book. So glad I read it again. I think it mystified me a bit the 1st time, or in any case, I'm imbibing it better the 2nd time.

Ancestral wrote: "Rather disappointing to be honest. Ham acting, so much so I thought it was a comedy, but was never quite sure as it missed the mark too often. Only watched the once, despite the fabulous scenery. ..."

You say "ham acting" like it's a bad thing!
A wee bit of pulp now and again does you good. ;)

Might be late joining the book discussion as my seller says they might not get it out to me until late December.

's OK, we have the whole of January too :)

I'm halfway through now. Not sure what to say at the moment as I don't want to spoil it for anyway - but this is an unusual book.

One odd thing is that the translator mentions in the preface that there are deliberate mistakes in the text. One or two things have caught my eye so far, although their significance escapes me.

BTW, I've just discovered that there are Notes at the end - maybe worth reading before each section if you don't want to miss anything.

Is that 'unusual in a positive way', Nell?
I'm at the end of the Baldesjor part. --It doesn't have chapters with numbers, just seven named parts.
I was thinking last night about how Skord lacks human sympathies, so can watch human life and transmit no emotion to us at a few atrocious things he sees. --Not that he is emotionless, and he has been attached to individual people. But of course, early on, he had tremendous sympathy for animals in traps and so on, the forest life he identifies with, abused by humans. An alien eye, or an alienated eye. Makes the humans look alien, quite successfully.

I find unusual interesting simply for its difference, Bryn :)

You're right about Skord and his lack of human sympathies - I see now why the author is telling the story in the way I mentioned above. It helps to make the dark things bearable as I tend to identify with him. After all, he's not only the main character but the only one who endures Time while the others all pass through and disappear. It seems strange to create such a wealth of interesting characters with in-depth life stories only to have them pass on.

He seems amoral, although I did notice something he wouldn't do some time back - I've forgotten exactly what it was. I like his connection to the animals - the humans seem more alien.

I'm pretty sure I'm right in saying that Skord's speech isn't actually quoted until page 260 - then it's a bit of a shock - like hearing his voice for the first time.

Nell wrote: "He seems amoral, although I did notice something he wouldn't do some time back..."

Recently when told to he wouldn't "scratch out toads' brains" in the hope of a toad stone now and then. Animals again, but he has scruples about the dog in these pages too, that it/he might hurt the girl while his spirit's in the dog. Perhaps it's animals & children he finds sympathies for.

With grown-up humans I feel... he just has no say, let alone understanding. There's no question of intervention, by him, or not yet. He's a victim who can only look out for himself -- if he's lucky. While what humans do to each other... I'm getting the sense is meaningless in his eyes... unstoppable, at any rate.

Got it now and will catch up over the next week or 2.
Bit disappointed that the seller described it as being in "Very Good" condition and it being a bit tatty...still it cost 1p so I can't be too fussy.
I notice the translator of my edition uses Scots for the dialect words to get a flavour of the Northern Swedish etc...a plus for me already :)

Ah yes, toads' brains - That's what I was thinking of. Another thing was the man he saw in the byre and wanted punished, yet he was unable or unwilling to take any action himself.

"Bryn wrote: "With grown-up humans I feel... he just has no say, let alone understanding. There's no question of intervention, by him, or not yet. He's a victim who can only look out for himself -- if he's lucky. While what humans do to each other... I'm getting the sense is meaningless in his eyes... unstoppable, at any rate."

That's a very perceptive analysis, Bryn, I'm wondering now if he'll develop empathy as the book progresses - if indeed that's the whole point of the story. Otherwise it could be seen as a highly original way to bring to life 500 years of the history of the land.

Old-Barbarossa wrote: "Got it now and will catch up over the next week or 2.
"

Hooray!

I've slowed right down in the alchemy part 'The Live Gold' as cluttered with technical. Is there a human/creature story in this part?

I've just had a break from the story to read Mirage Men: An Adventure into Paranoia, Espionage, Psychological Warfare, and UFOs (can you believe...!), which seemed incredibly down to earth in comparison.

I'm reading the section about Xenia now. I'm finding this book a little like dreams - fragmented, possibly even disjointed, and somehow literally darkish in that (to my mind) all events seem to take place in the forest (even though they don't), where colour is dimmed and the sunlight rarely penetrates.

And like dreams, the parts that make an impression - for me descriptions of nature - are retained, whereas much of the detail of Skord's experiences (including the people and the historical parts) are more or less forgotten, leaving only an overall sense of his life. Perhaps that's why the forest seems to have surrounded and penetrated everything.

Sounds like a great read. I'll order it right now. It even has men in it. :). Thank you for choosing it.